Casting apparatus.



F. T. KITCHEN.

GASTING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 16, 1906.

969,539. Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. T. KITCHEN.

CASTING APPARATUS.

'APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 1a, 1908.

969,539. Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, Attst:

Inventor:

mar-rm) STATES PATENT orrjion."

FREDERICK r. KITCHEN, or NEW YORK, n. Y., ASSIGNOB, BY mnsnn ASSIGNMENTS,

TO COMPRESSED METAL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

CASTING APPARATUS.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK T. KITCHEN, a citizen of the United States, residing inthe borough of Manhattan of the city of New-York, in, the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to apparatus for the rapid casting of metals in hard molds, and while the improvements hereinafter described have been devised with special reference to the casting of the less readily fusible metals, such as brass, for example, they are nevertheless applicable with advantage to the casting of the more readily fusible metals and alloys. i

It is the general object of the invention to improve the construction and operation offipparatus of this character;

ore especially, one purpose in view is to provide improved means whereby the metal in the mold may be subjected-to a high pressure until it has cooled, thereby producing a casting of thoroughly homogeneous character, conforming exactly to the configuration of-the mold. Heretofore the molten metal has sometimes been forced into the mold'by a plunger submerged below the surface of the molten metal inv the melting pot,but the subjection of the pump to the action of the molten metal is greatly destructive of the pump. In other case, the

molten metal has been forced into the mold by air or gas pressure on the surface of the molten metal in the melting pot or pressure pot, but such pressure is elastic and is not always efficient. In accordance with the present invention air, or preferably a nonoxidizing or deoxidizing gas under pressure, may be employed for the purpose of forcing the metal into the mold, but thereafter, communication between the interior of the. mold and the melting 0t being closed, the metal in the mold itse f is directly subjected to the heavier pressure of a plunger which acts directly upon the'metal in the mold.

Another purpose in view is to make the apparatus automatic as far as possible so is at the operations may be carried on with V i great rapidity. Provision is also made for a frame erected above the furnace,

Application filed June 16, 1908. Seria1 No. 438,723.

preventing any substantial reduction of temperature of the molten metal until it actually enters the mold.

Other features of improvement will be more particularly referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the form of apparatus which has been chosen for illustration in the accompanying drawings, I

in which drawings- F gure 1 is a view in vertical section of a casting apparatus which embodies the in.-

vention, Fig. 2 is a view thereof, partly in of Fig. 1, and partly in e evation.

In the apparatus shown-in the drawings,

a suitable-crucible or melting pot a is'placed in a furnace b, which is preferably an electric furnace, connections for current supply being indicated at c, c and resistance for developing heat at .0 The melting chamber b of such a furnacemay be readily made tight. so that air, or preferably a nonoxidizing or deoxidizing gas, may be admitted section, on a plane at ri ht'angles to that under pressure from any suitable source for the purpose of driving the molten metal into the mold. A pipe d is shown in the drawing as adapted to conduct the air or gas under pressure to the melting chamber of the furnace, such pipe being provided with a three-way valved controlled by a suitable lever or handle d so that air or gas under pressure may be admitted when it. is

desired to force the metal into the mold and that such pressure may be relieved after the mold has been filled. The mold, indicated at 6, may be of any suit-able construction,

having an inlet for the molten metal, as at e and a chamber, as at 6 for a plunger hereinafter more particularly described. The mold is preferably supported above the melting pot and is represented in the drawings as supported by the bottom plate f of sum plate having a channel f through which the molten metal may be delivered to the mold, as hereinafter described, which channel is continued downward into and below the surface of the molten metal in the crucible a by a tube P. The tube f is preferably formed of a suitable electrically resist ant material and is connected to the source of electric current for the furnace, as indicated at f, being properly'insulated from the furnace walls, as at f. the tube" 1 thus receives a portion of the heating ourslide ff when the mold is to be filled. Such valve may be operated byany convenient means. As shown, a hydraulic cylinder 11 is secured to the plate f, the piston 2' thereof having a rod '5 which is adapted, when-pressure is admitted-behind the piston, to push the slide valve 72. forward so as to cut off communication between the mold and the melting pot. Preferably the valve k is not permanently connectedto the piston rod i but is independent thereof so that acool slide it may e readily substituted for the heated one as often as may be desired.

As hereinbefore stated, the metal in the mold, whileit is still fluid and after communication with the melting 'pot has been out 01f, is subjected to heavy pressure. This 1s accomplished by the. plunger k which en-' by a hydraulic ters the mold and is carried plunger k; the cylinder 70 for the latter may be formed in a crosshead Z fixed upon the vertical rods f5, which rise from the plate fof the frame. Liquid under pressure is admitted to the cylinder k from any suitable source, sulfiaiently indicated by the pipe m, the admission of'such liquid under pres sure and the relief of pressure-in the cylinder being conveniently controlled by a three:

way valve, indicated at m, and provided with a lever or handle m for the operator. Pressure may also be supplied to the cylinder 2', for the operation of the valve h, from i any suitable-source, the same being sutficiently indicated by-a pipe i which may be controlled by a three-way valve 2", so as to admit pressurebehind the piston '5 .or to relieve such pressure as may be required.

The valve z'tmight-be operated by hand or byan'y suitable means. In the mechanism shown in the drawings it is automatically controlled, as to its movement in one direction, by the flow of metalinto the mold,

being operated by a lever n. which is mounted on the mold and is operatively connected at one end withthe plunger is and at the other end with the lever i of the valve. Asthe molten metal fills the mold it causes the plunger 'to move outward from the mold and through the described connection to shift the valve 6* so as to admit pressure to the cylinder i behind its piston 11. The slide valve 71 will, therefore, be thrust forward quickly to cut off communication between the interior of the mold and the interior of the melting pot, preventing the escape of the metal from the mold. As the slide valve h continues its forward movement a pin 71. carried thereby strikes the arm m of the valve m and opens the valve, admitting pressure behind the hydraulic plunger is. The downward movement of the hydraulic plunger is drives the plunger k into the mold and the still fluid I .metal therein is therefore subjected to the high pressure behind the plunger and is forced under such high pressure into every part of the mold, securing a casting which conforms perfectly to the mold and at the same time is made thoroughly homogeneous. The high pressure is continued until the metal in the mold sets and thenthe valve m is manipulated by the operator to relieve the pressure behind the plunger. The latter is immediately withdrawn, as by a counter weight 0 suitably connected, as by a chain 0, with the plunger, and in its u ward movement actuates the lever n to shift the valve 71- for the purpose of relieving the pressure behind the piston 2'. The mold being then removed or .opened in the usual manner for the ejection of the casting, the slide valve 72. is free to be thrust back by the o erator into its initial position or to be re= p aced by a cool slide, if necessary. As soon as the parts are in readiness for another casting the valve d is shifted by the operator to admit pressure into the casting pot and the operations are repeated as before.

It will now be seen that with the improved apparatus not only is oxidation of the metal guarded against, there being no contact of the metal with the air, and that provision is made against any undesirable reduction in temperature before it reaches the mold, and

that the successive operations can be carried onwith great rapidity, but also that the metal in the mold can be subjected to pr'essure much greater than that which is required or is desirable for the introduction of the metal into the .mold, whereby it is possible to make castings of perfect shape and homogeneity.

It will'be rious changes in details of construction and arrangement may be made to suit different conditions of use and that the invention is understood, of rcourse, thatvanot limited'to the precise construction shown and described herein. I claim as my invention: 1. In a casting apparatus, a pot for molten metal, means to force the metalotherefrom into the mold, a slide valve to cut off communication between the mold and the pot and prevent the escape of molten'metal from the mold, a cylinder and piston to actuate the valve, a plunger adapted to enter the 1 mold to act upon the molten metal therein and a cylinder and piston to actuate said plunger.

- 2. In a casting apparatus, a pot for molten metal, means to force the metal therefrom into the mold, a slide valve to cut off communication between the 'mold and the. pot and prevent the escape of molten metal from -the mold, a cylinder and piston to actuate the valve, a plunger adapted to enter the mold to act upon t e molten metal therein, a

cylinder and piston to actuate said plunger, and devices actuated by the movement of the plunger to control the pressure behind the piston in the first named cylinder.

This s ecification signed and witnessed this 6th ay of June, A. D., 1908.

FREDERICK T. KITCHEN.

Signed in the presence of ELLA J. Knucmi, AMBROSE L. OSHEA. 

